SITS Blogathon

So I'm a SITS girl. If you don't know what that means, I invite you to check out The Secret Is In The Sauce. It's a community of bloggers who understand the importance of support in the form of comments and exposing readers to new bloggers. Monday through Friday a blogger is featured. The members of this site then flood that blogger with comment love. I've discovered some really great bloggers this way, made some new friends, and even dragged some old friends along for the ride. I was the featured blogger back in August, and it was so much fun. I got a bunch of new readers. I was commenting like crazy (I've slacked off a bit, admittedly) but it was a great opportunity. If you're new to blogging, I highly recommend connecting with this site so you can boost your readership and discover other bloggers you might never have found otherwise!

As part of the blogathon, I'm supposed to list 5 blogs I've discovered thanks to SITS... so here goes. And this was HARD because I've found some great ones.

1. American in Norway - Tressa's hilarious... and she knows my neck of the woods (Illinois). Plus her kids are cute and she posts pictures of Norway. Where else in my life would I be able to be friends with someone who is actually living in Norway?

2. Ritch in Love- Katie just has such a unique perspective. She's still got that newlywed glow, she's a step mom, she's really funny. She tells a good story. She's full of faith and hope. I just love reading her blog.

3. The Perlman Update- Again... I enjoy this blog for a number of reasons. It's a family from the U.S. living in India. Their life is nothing like mine, but I love following their journey. It's fascinating. My best friend's family is originally from India, so sometimes Jill will post something that reminds me of my friend and her family.

4. And Baby Will Make 4- Melisa is just so darn cute! She commented on my blog, I commented on her blog, we've been blog buddies ever since. She's expecting her first baby and is documenting the whole thing, from breaking the news to family to the latest doctors appointments. It's a very readable blog.

5. The Musings of a Mom- Therese is a friend in real life... and if you read her blog it's a good insight as to her true thoughts. She's authentic, honest, fun, a great mom, spiritual, political... she's a little bit of everything all rolled into one. I'm so proud of her for putting her real thoughts and feelings out there for everyone to see.

Okay... I had to add one more...

SIDNEY and I share the same name, though off by just one letter and she has an awesome blog. She is one amazing gal.

There are so many other great blogs I've connected to thanks to SITS I actually feel bad limiting it to five. But seriously, check out this site.
Heather and Tiffany do a really great job with it. They have created an incredibly fun community, you'll meet some great people and find some really great blogs.

Thanks for stopping by!

WOW! Being SITS blogger of the day was amazing. All the wonderful comments! I just can't get over it! It will take me awhile to get caught up on returning all that comment love, but please know that I will read and reply to every single one of you.

Answers to a few questions... the new career is public relations. I'm actually better suited to it than I thought I'd be. All that organizing and writing of newscasts prepared me well for the organizing of events and writing of press releases. I work for a major non-profit in the city, but I'm not going to mention the name of it.

I am no longer running on the treadmill. I run on the track during the week and outside on weekends. I'm up to 2.5 miles without wanting to drop. I completed my first 5K in July, and just signed up for my next one, which is August 23. As for training, these are some of the sites I've used. Thanks for all the new suggestions! These are just some of the songs I like to run to. I'll post some of my newer selections one of these days... stay tuned!

In the meantime, go check out this contest and enter to win some yummy sauce and a cookbook.

Welcome Saucy SITS Girls!

If you've stumbled over here thanks to SITS, welcome! I'm really excited to be the featured blogger of the day. Let me tell you a little about myself... I live in the suburbs of Milwaukee and I love it here!

I have a wonderful husband, Craig, and a three year old son, Alex. I like to cook, I like to do crafts (mainly knitting and crocheting right now), I love to read, and I've recently taken up running (though I hestitate to say I like it, I still kinda hate it).

I can't wait to bask in the comment love. I promise I will pay visits to all of your blogs when I have a chance this weekend. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today is the 4th anniverary of my 29th birthday. I still find it hard to believe that I'm now well into my 30s. I got to scoot right on by the 30th birthday festivities, because I had just given birth to Alex. I don't usually like a huge fuss made over my birthday. Okay, that's a total lie. I love a big fuss! Presents, cake, food, drink, you name it! I love any reason to celebrate, so I actually do like my birthday. My three nephews just called and sang "Happy Birthday." The oldest sang it opera style, the middle one sang normal, and the youngest one attempted to burp the whole song. That made my day.

Alex, Craig and I went to the Milwaukee County Zoo this morning. We saw the Birds of Prey show which was very cool. We also road the train around the zoo. Two things we have never done before.

I logged into my email to find I won a giveaway on Tip Junkie. A beautiful bracelet from Beads by Amanda K! Amanda's stuff is gorgeous and reasonably priced. Go check her out! I know I'll be checking her stuff out again soon. That was a great birthday surprise.

Oh, and be sure to check out this week's final SITS giveaway. They're giving away an Ipod Nano. I think this would be a great thing to help me with my running! So head on over there, and tell them Sydney sent you!

More birthday posting (hopefully pictures!) tomorrow!

Red Hot Giveaway

I don't know how the girls over at SITS keep coming up with these prizes, but one of these days I'm going to win one! They are giving away a red camera. Go to the site. Sign up. Tell them Sydney sent you.

Thanks for visiting! Don't be a stranger!

Thanks to all the fabulous SITStas who stopped by the blog today! I have read all of your lovely comments and it's been so much fun to see where all the comments have come from! As of about 3PM, I had 27 states and the District of Columbia represented, plus about 6 foreign countries. I just got back from the Brewers vs. Rockies game. It was CC Sabathia's first game as a Brewer. Milwaukee won! WOO HOO! It's too late to go back and return all the comments tonight. I'll try to do so tomorrow. I've got another Brewers game on Thursday... it's a day game so I'm going for work. HOW COOL! Then Saturday we're off to Des Moines to visit my brother and sister in law. More tomorrow!

Welcome Milwaukee Visitors!

So I can't find the iconic picture of Milwaukee's City Hall with the "Welcome Milwaukee Visitors" sign made famous by "Laverne and Shirley," but welcome visitors to my little corner of the blogosphere.

I am the featured blogger today on the SITS Girls Recipes site! I feel so honored! I feel so unprepared! I need to clean house! I need to add more recipes! I need to fix broken links and messy lists! Tidy the joint up a little bit.

I hope you enjoy my recipes, and the rest of my blog. Now that I've been featured on a recipe blog, I'm taking a vow to post one new recipe a week. I'm not committing to a day yet, just one recipe a week. Enjoy!

Tortellini Carbonara With Ham

2 pkgs frozen cheese tortellini
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked ham
1 1/2 cups half and half
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (I use ground peppercorns from a pepper mill) or more to taste

Bring three quarts of water to a boil. Add tortellini and cook according to package directions. Drain well, set aside. Heat oil in deep 12 inch, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add ham, cook 1-2 minutes to heat through. Add half and half, stir well continue to heat.

In small bowl combine eggs and cheese. Beat well to combine. Slowly stir egg mixture into cream mixture. Continue to stir and cook until mixture begins to thickent (about 2-3 minutes). Remove skillet from heat. Add cooked, drained pasta. Return to medium-low heat, stirring and tossing pasta till coaated. Season with black pepper. Makes six servings.

The SITS Girls Do It Again!

This week's contest is for a $100 Target giftcard. I love my Target. I actually got a little teary eyed when I heard a rumor that the Target near my house was going to become a SuperTarget.

Then the city council decided to toy with my emotions: they didn't approve the expansion and the rumors have since gone away.


If you've never heard of SITS, go check them out, and if you register tell them Sydney sent you!
I really don't know how these super cool chicks get all their great prizes, but they are obviously doing something right. They are driving traffic to a lot of blogs through word of mouth--err... word of blog? word of web? Not sure what the right term is.

I WANT TO WIN!

You can't win if you don't enter!

Okay the SITS girls are having another contest that I want to win.

You could win this purse.

Isn't it adorable? I have a thing for purses and shoes. I simply can't get enough of either one. This purse actually reminds me of the bedspread I BEGGED my parents for when I was in junior high. I had finally gotten my own room after sharing one with my younger brother for years. When I finally got my own room, I got to pick the bedspread. The rainbow hearts just called to me.

So wish me luck. You can enter too, just check out the contest.

If you can read this, you can leave a comment

I'm still fairly new to the world that is BLOG, but I'm learning. I'm learning how to write better, more interesting posts. I'm learning how to add pictures, links, etc. to my posts.
I'm discovering new blogs every day thanks to sites like SITS and NaBloPoMo. I know people are reading my blog, because I installed a Stat Counter (though I admit, analyzing the data isn't easy). So if you think I can't see you, you're wrong, I can. I feel a bit like Santa Claus really, since I know where you live, and when you're clicking. I promise I don't know when you're sleeping and when you're awake, nor do I care.

I've decided to stop lurking on other people's blogs. If I find your blog, I'm gonna leave a comment at least once. Otherwise, isn't it just snooping? SITS encourages bloggers to leave comments for each other to feel the "comment love." So if you're reading my blog and you've never commented before, start commenting! What are you lurking out there in the dark for???

Makeover my Blog

The green dots are getting old and tired. I need something to spice things up!
Everynow and then you need some color, maybe a little pizzaz. I think my blog is definitely in need. One of my blog buddies introduced me to a new distraction, The Secret is in the Sauce.
Their latest contest is to win a header or possibly even a design from Eight Crazy Design. All I can say is WOW! I've been in awe of web designers for awhile now. I have a greater appreciation for them now, after having to fill a pre-designed website full of content for work. It takes a lot of technical know-how and creativity! I haven't a clue about the technical stuff, but if I could manifest my creativity into a web design, I think that design would look like something from Eight Crazy. So I hope I win, and my bloggy dream comes true!